Once the center of human expansion into distant space, Jitsu was isolated for the better part of a century. Professor Brando D’Angelo accepts a teaching position on the theocratic planet, drawn by the promise of a new life. But his relationship with architect Tenshi Kuroda, leader of a religious reform movement, will thrust him into a terrifying power struggle that will change his life forever.

A collection of six short stories including The Awakening, The Talking Board, The Carrington Event, The Mirror, The Time Travel Experiment and The Tourist. Each story features a twist near the end, to surprise the reader. I hope you enjoy them.

Life in the artificial colonies of Beta Sagittarius is comfortable and safe; so why is someone trying to kill the Blessed Dolphin? Why are scout ships searching the massive Oort cloud? And where does Auguste Gienah fit into it all?
Wherever the investigation scratches away the surface, there is revealed a tangled web of lies and Betrayals...

One day, the entire world changes. Just about everything else stays the same. Harvard Wilcox is just barely old enough to remember when The Blackout happened. However, at this moment he doesn't remember anything at all.

The Asteroid Belt - perfect hunting ground for Bad Jack, captain of the Dead Reckoning and the most feared pirate in the solar system. About to embark upon the biggest job of his career, Jack finds himself in need of a specialist, but his latest recruit has a new face, a new name and his own han agenda. Chief Inspector Alex McLeod has been reset to war mode, and things are about to get very ugly.

When Derek loses his job, he must pick pockets to get by. But when he comes across something truly life changing in the course of his day’s work, he realises that he might hold the key to solve all his, and his family’s, problems forever. If he can just get home safe. A story of nonstop action and a constant drive towards success no matter what. Pickpocket: a short story.

Ric has survived a gang war, but now he's broke.
He needs a new source of funds, and the hospital which stole his money is chock-full of a new neurohormone that’s worth a fortune. All Ric needs is to manipulate a street gang into doing the work for him.
A novelette from Walter Jon Williams, the master of hard-boiled speculative fiction.

The Premier Imperial Bank of Houshou is the financial institute of choice for the rich and the crooked of the Empire, with a two thousand year history and vaults and computers thought to be impenetrable. However, the bank has not counted on Ethan Summerton and Holly di Marco, ex-aristocrat and ex-mercenary, finding a way to breach its security system and redirect the money to the Rebellion.